Air conditioning apparatus including a sterilizing means



L M. BERRYMAN 2,472,243

AIR CONDITIbNING APPARATUS INCLUDING A STERILIZING- MEANS Filed Sept. 10, 1946 June 7, 1949.

2O ,5 35 r 33 I I /4 M26: 27

LLOYD M EEEEYMHN.

Patented June 7, 1949 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS INCLUDING A STERILIZING MEANS Lloyd M. Berryman, Baltimore, Md. Application September 10, 1946, Serial No. 695,979

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-429) This invention relates to air-conditioning equipment and more particularly to that branch thereof pertaining to the de-humidifying and sterilizing of air in structures.

A particular manner of de-humidifying air in an enclosed space consists in passing the ambient air at its normal temperature thru a cooling device where it is chilled to the dew point and the moisture thru condensation is deposited on fins or coils where it can accumulate and drain of! into a tank or sewer. Arefrigerating unit is employed for cooling the de-humidifying device. The'disadvantage of this system lies in the fact that the refrigerating unit discharges the heat in a space separate from that being conditioned, or some medium such as flowing water is used to absorb and carry away the heat. This means that the temperatures and pressures must be considerably increased and it involves greater cost of operation as well as increased wear and tear than lower temperatures and pressures would induce. The space occupied is much greater and the installation requires the use of ducts, pipes or tubing to carry refrigerant and cooling air or water. The device is not portable, but is costly and ineflicient. In addition no provision is usually made for sterilizing the processed air.

It is the purpose of the herein described invention to provide'a new and improved air conditioning unit that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved air conditioning unit that will de-hydrate air efliciently without changing the temperature to any great extent in the space to be tie-hydrated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved air conditioning unit that will be compact, economical in original cost and operation and easily adapted for sterilizing pur poses.

Still another object of the invention is to pro.-

1 vide a new and improved air conditioning unit tracted by the cool de-hmnidified air as it passes over the second set of coils and raises the temperature of the de-humidifled and sterilized air 2 back to its original temperature when it entered the apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to make effective use of the transfer of heat from one part of the system to another, without materially increasing the size of the unit although increasing its capacity. It is understood that the term air-conditioning is used in a broad sense and includes dehumidifying of air as well as changing its temperatures.

For a clearer understanding of the invention reference is made to the appended drawings together with the following description, whereina particular form of the invention is outlined, by way of example, to illustrat the principles and operation of the equipment involved, whilethe scope of the invention is emphasized in the claims.

The structure indicated in the drawings details the equipment used in this particular form and consists of various items in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an air-conditioning unit embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1, with parts broken away to show its internal construction;

Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 1 looking in the direction of arrows 3-3, and

Figure 4 is a rear view of Figure 1 looking the direction of arrows 4-4.

Similar reference numerals are used in the various drawings to designate similar parts.

The particular form of air-conditioning unit shown consists of a base III on which the parts are mounted and kept rigidly in the same relation to one another. On this base, a conventional type of compressor ll operated by an electric motor I2 is assembled. The motor is located towards the middleof the base and longitudinally parallel to it. A fan l3 directly connected to a.

motor I4 is installed adjacent to the compressor motor l2. The fan itself is on the side of the motor 14 away from the motor l2, and has a propulsive action tending to pull air from in front of it, back towards the motor. Infront of the fan l3 a condenser I5 is positioned for receiving a gaseous coolant, like dichlorodifluoromethane as it leaves the compressor in a hot state, and after giving up this heat, liquefying the dichlorodifluoromethane passing therethrough. Its coils ii are horizontally arranged and its outside frame ll vertically supports them. An air space "3 is provided in front of this con- I denser and is enclosed by duct work or housing 19 that is held in place at one end of the condenser structure I5 and at the opposite end by 3 ode-World. 'niede-hy dratorlssimilarm I eneralccmtructimtothecondensenhutis largarefcrmedwithiinstocolairandcarrrittoa ducting piping II at room temperature and approaching liquid form and is deposited in a lieuidreceiverll. Theliquidisthenconducted underpressurethroughpipeiltoanexpansion valve 3i and expanded into the de-hydrstor 2i wheretheexpansionofthecoolantreducesthe te'mperatureto approaimatelywl as it passes therethrough. Theairiromtheroomisdrawn inatanormaltemperatureofahout'lfl'fiand whereltia 35 F. and brought downto makesitshedmostotthemoisturetherein. This moistureiscollectedbytheflnsotthedehydrator llandcarriedoflsoitcannotcontaminate theairasalnalterithaspusedthroughthedehydrator. Theheatladenvnporisdrawnirom thede-hydrator Ilthroughthempeflhytho compressor .andisthenpassedthroughtho processallovermin- Tilusinitsactiomthn smittakes-theairfromtheroomat'lvl cook it to 35' R, and de-hydrates it, then sterlliaes itssittravelsi'urtherthroughtheunimand thenreheatsitwiththeheatderivedtromthe condenseranddcvelonedbythecmnpressionot whileitisdryandpsssesithsckintotheroom.

Withoutthissystemotfirstcoolingthewarm airsnddehydratingit,andusingittocool the condenser structure, itwould be u tocoolthehotliquidbwothermeansandthereh losetheadvantsgeorconservingthepower requiredtorsisethetemperatureottheairbach to room temperature. This would incidently causes-n increase in theccmpressor pressure. Atthesametlmtheadvnntagoofstefllifln: theairwhen cooledispmvidedtorinthislnventionandisunderstoodtobevcryeflective, sincethehscteriaarelessactivcsndlivelmsnd theresistsncetotheranodtheirphysicallamp considerably lowered. me process permits a compactarransementorthepartssincethes areslignedwithoneanotherandinstsllcdcloss "commie:

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claimedis:

LAB air conditioning unit comprising in combination a compressor. a condenser coupled to said compressor, an expansion valve, 9. liquid receiver-connectedtoonesideotsaid expansion vsive,ade-hydratorcoupledtotheothersldeoi said expansion valve, a. housing having its transverse center portionrestrictedintoaconical form for enclosing the space between the condenser and de-hydrator tor leading the de-hydratedair from the de-hydrator to the condenser where theteinperature oithede-hydratedairisincreasedhytheheatorsaidcondensenanda coolantinssidcomprasorandflowing rlznariis throu h said condenser to heat samesndhaveitsheatextractcdbysaidcooled airflowingtherethrough, saidcoolantheingconducted 1mm said condenser to said liquid re ceiver, then to the expansion valve where the coolantisexpandedandpassedthrouahtheda hrdrstortoahsorbtheheatandmoisturetrmn theincomlngmoistladenair.

2.Analrconditionlngunitcmnprisingincombination a compressor. a condenser coupled to said compresor, sliquidreceiver coupledtosaid condenser, on expansion valve coupled to said liquid receiver. a de-hydrator coupled to said expansion valve, 9. housing having its transverse centerwpartionrestrictedintoaconical formic: enclosing the space between the condenser and de-hydrator {or leadingthede-hydratedairirom thede-hydratottothecondenser where the temperatureotthedehrdratedairisincreasedbs theheatorsaidcmdensenandacoolantcompressedinsaidcompressorandflowingprlmarily throughsaidcondensertoheatsameandhavs itsheatextractedhysaidcooledairflowingthera through,saidcoolantheingcondnctedtrmnsaid to said liquid receiver, then to the expsmionvalvewherethecoolantisexplndcd and passed through the dehydrator to absorb theheatsndmoisturetromtheincomingmoist 'lsdenainandmeanstorsteriiisingsaidtreated air.

3.Anaircondltioningunitcomprisingincunbinatiomahaseadehydratorinchidingacoolthroughandpropeliingitoverthesaldsirmcv-l incmeanssosstoeatrscthestthereiromand raisethetemperaturecfthedehydratedaina" comsaidcoolsntasit leaves the dehydrator after being raised in temen-t heat absorbed by said air as it passes ther'e-' by, said compressor, housing, lamp, and dehydrator being aligned on said base on approximately the same axial line whereby the air flow will be in practically the same general direction as it passes by or through them.

4. An air conditioning unit comprising in combination, a base, a dehydrator including a coolant therein mounted on said base adjacent one end thereof, adapted to cool air drawn therethrough and cause a deposit of moisture therein at the temperatm'e it is cooled to, a converging housing to catch said air as it leaves the dehydrator, a sterilizing lam in said housing to sterilize said air passing thereby and direct its rays therethrough, air moving means axially aligned with said housing for drawing said air through and propelling it over the said air moving means so as to extract heat therefrom and raise the temperature of the dehydrated air, a

compressor compressing said coolant as it leaves 25 2,419,239

the dehydrator after being raised in temperature in its reactions during the processing of the air.

duringthe cooling thereof as aforesaid, said operating means of the compression means having 5 t ome of its inherent heat absorbed by said air as it passes thereby, said compressor, housing, lamp, and dehydrator being aligned on said base approximately on the same axis whereby the air flow will be in practically the same general direction as it passes by or through them, and a line of piping coupling the dehydrator and compressor together arranged to promote the conventional flow of coolant therebetween.

LLOYD M. BERRYMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith Apr. 1, 1947 

